Weeder



Jane 8,1926. 1,588,230

C. H. HOWELL WEEDER Filed March 22. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l l) lol lol June 8 1926.

c. H. HOWELL `WEEDER 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1923 June 8 1926.

C. H. HOWELL WEEDER Filed March 22, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet Patented June 8, 1926.

COLUMBUS H. HOWELL, F PENDLETON, OREGON.

WEEDER.

Application filed March 2 My invention relates to wheel mounted weeders which are providedwith a horiprovided with two knife blades mounted onev behind the other, and to provide means foi placing said knife blades independently into and out of operative position. Thus one knife can be lifted out of operative position and the cut weeds removed from it while the other one is in operating position. The entire field can thus be cut evenly and continuously without leaving spots of uncut weeds, or else without stopping the cutting operations to remove weeds from the knife. The primary object of my invention is to provide means whereby the cutting knives may be readily lowered and raised into and out of operative position, and will be `firmly held in the latter position against any twisting strain. i f v y A further object of my invention is to at tain the said result by inexpensive means.

l attain this object in a wheel .mounted implement which has two transverseknife blades located one behind the other, each of 30 said bars carrying a cutting element. I providepivoted bracing rods connecting the cutting elements with the front end of the implement which are adapted to sustain the stresses imposed upon said knife `blades while in action. Independent adjusting mechanisms are provided which are controlled by operating handles, arranged adjacent the driving seat and thus accessible to the driver, whereby the transverse cutting elements can be lifted independently into and out of operative position.

l illustrate these and other features in the accompanyingy drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a planl view of my improved weeder with` part of the superstructure broken away to show the operating mechanism underneath;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and shows the cutting elements with their control mechanism and also shows in dotted lines, the foremost cutting element lowered into operative position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and shows the independent adjusting mechanism bywhich the cutting elements are raised and lowered 5 1923. Serial No, 626,884.

Fig. d is a front elevation of my improved weeder with parte of the bracing structure broken away to show the operating mechamsm;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the pivoted rods which sustain the stresses of the cutting' elements while in action; and

F 6 is a fragmentary section showing details of construction.

My weeder is made with a. frame 1 which has a pivoted bifu The weeder is wheel mounted with front wheels 3 which are mounted on au le 4. rthe rear wheel 5. is liournale'd between this iifureate 'rear extension portion and thus aocommodates the swing of the device in turning corners. Shafts are journaled transversely of the frame, 6 being a front shaft and 7 rear shaft. A. hand lever 8 controls the front shaft 6 and a rear rackhand lever 9 controls the rear rack shaft 7. The usual latching means 10 with a ygawl 10a which cooperates with the circular rack bar 11, holds the lever 8 in set position. The hand lever 8 is l..shaped and pivoted .to the frame' at 26 and its lower end Sais pivotally cone nected to an arm 11i. This arm 14 is rigidly fastened to the shaft 6 and the connection to ate rear extension 2.

the lowerend 8a is made thru a doubly pivoted link 15. Lifting arms 16 are also keyed to the shaft 6 and will thus turnv therewith when the Shaft'is rotated. Each of these arms 16 is pivot-ally connected to the transverse bar 17 thru a doubly pivoted link 18. The cutting blade 19 is fastened to the transverse bar 17 by hangers 19a. Said cutting blade extends transverse of the frame and parallel to the transverse bar 17. Said blade is disposed angularly to the surface of the ground when in operative position and this set degree of angularity is maintained by bracing rods 2O atv each side of the frame, one end of each of said bracing rods being pivotally mounted upon the axle l1. These 1bracing rods sustain. all of the stresses imposed upon the cutting elements while in action. is connected to the bladesby being rigidly fastened to a bracket 21 en the cross ar1n17.

rthe connection between the bracing rods and the brackets is adjustable so that the angle that the rods make with ytheir respective brackets can be varied. This adjustment is secured thru the provision of an arcuate slot 22 in the bracket thru which the bolt The free end of each of these arms f lll) ` ner. l

23 or the bracing rod 2() passes, and by the provision of spaced holes 39 thru which the bolt 40 passes. The arcs for said slot and for said holes being described about the same point.

The pivoted end of each of said bracing rods 2O is formed into a loop 25 elongated to permit the bracing rod to move longitudinally upon the axle, as when turning a cor- ""Q loop preferably made in tvvo sections, one of Which 241 is removable to permit the disengagement of said bracing rods from said axle. The Width of the loop thus formed is substantially the same as the diameter of the axle so as to ride thereon Without play.

lhen the bolt 23 in the slot 22 and the bolt in one of the holes 39 are both tightened, the degree of angularity of the cutting blade and the bracing arm 2O is set, and the connection will hold the cutter bar i9 in set position, relatively to the transverse bar 17. The only function of the hand lever 8 and its connections is to move the cutting lade 19 to and from the ground. The hand lever 9 is a straight lever and is pivoted at 26 and is provided with the usual locking means 27.

The pawl 2W co-acts With the circular rack 28 and holds the hand lever in set position. The lever 9 is connected to the arm 29 by the doubly pivoted link BO. This arm 29 is rigidly fastened to the shaft 7 to which are also fastened the lifting arms 81. A. doubly pivoted link 32 connects each lifting arm 3l to the rear transverse bar 33. The rear cutting blade 34 is connected to this transverse bar 33 by hangers 35, similarly to the parts mentioned for the front cutting blades. Pivoted bracing' arms 36 mounted one at each side of the frame are pivotally mounted upon the axle 4L and sustain the stresses imposed upon the cutting bar 34 when in action. The degree of angularity of the cutting blade Se is adjusted by tightening the bolt 38 in the arcuate slot 87 With the adjustable bolt 38 an-d by inserting and tightening the bolt al in one of the holes 42. The lever 9 merely moves the transverse bar 38 towards and away from the ground and the arms 86 hold the transverse bar 83, and therefore the cutting blade 34, in set position, so that they can not tivist about and thus change their degree of angularity with the ground.

l claim: A

l. )in an implement of the character described, a Wheel mounted frame, earth Working implements, means for suspending said implements from the frame in active and inactive positions, bracing rods at each side of said frame, rigidly connected, respectively, at one -end to said implements, thev other ends of said rods being provided With elongated loops having two parallel sides,

one of which is removable, the spacing of said parallel sides coinciding with the diameter of the front axle, l Which extends tnrough said loops.

2. In an implement of the character described, a frame mounted on front and rear Wheels, a vplurality of earth Working implements arranged one behind the other and cach comprising means for suspending said implements from the frame in active and inactive positions, bracing rods at each side of said frame, rigidly connected, respectively, at one end to said implements, the other ends of said rod being connected to the front Wheel axle bymea-ns permitting said rods rotary and longitudinal movement on ksaid axle, means vfor positioning the said suspending means independently.

COLUMBUS n. HOWELL. 

